Benchmark Wine Cellar
Cayuse Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Widowmaker En Chamberlin Vineyard 2012
The Winery
Cayuse Vineyards
"Cayuse is no longer a secret and it may be America’s toughest mailing list to crack....but do whatever it takes to get your hands on a few of these gems."
- Jay Miller, The Wine Advocate
Cayuse Vineyard’s winemaker, Christopher Baron, a Champagne native, raised by a family of vignerons, had a hankering for somewhere perfect to plant Pinot Noir. He traveled all over the world to find his ideal site, and he found a neglected cherry orchard in Walla Walla, Washington that was littered with stones. These baseball size stones covering the soil reminded him of Châteauneuf-du-Pape changing his dream to plant Syrah.
Now, his five specific vineyards cover 41 acres produce mainly Syrah along with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Merlot, Roussanne, Tempranillo and Viognier. Now owning three brands: Cayuse, Horsepower, and No Girls, all wines are made from each estate vineyard that practices bio. These are some of the most highly sought-after, professional palate impressing wines ever to come out of Washington.
Summary
Cayuse Vineyards' 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, known as The Widowmaker, is sourced entirely from the estate's En Chamberlin Vineyard, situated in the Walla Walla Valley. This wine showcases a blend of classic and elegant characteristics, with its biodynamic and dry-farmed roots on basalt cobblestones enhancing its unique profile. The 2012 vintage benefits from a lengthy growing season, resulting in a full-bodied wine that balances bright acidity with complex layers of cassis, herbal notes, and earthy undertones. The palate reveals ripe cherry, subtle spices, and mineral elements, culminating in a refined finish. This Cabernet exemplifies the terroir of Syrah country, boasting soft tannins and a concentrated yet restrained style.
Tasting Notes
- JD96
- The 2012 Widowmaker is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that’s all from the estate En Chamberlin vineyard. It’s unquestionably a beautiful wine and offers just a touch of rocks funk in its classic tobacco leaf, currants, cedary spice and earth aromatics.…
- WA96+
- Coming all from the En Chamberlin vineyard and made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2012 The Widowmaker is backward and tight, with bright acidity giving lift to notes of cassis, graphite, smoked earth and lots of crushed-rock minerality. Full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, yet still showing a more elegant, focused and pure style, it won`t hit maturity for another 7-8 years, and will keep for 25+.
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